A Moment in the Psych Ward
by fadedelegance
Summary: Set during "Skate or Die". Connie reacts to Mike provoking Jonah Applebaum into attacking him.


**Disclaimer: Dick Wolf and NBC own "Law and Order". I don't.**

**A/N****: I randomly thought of this one time after watching "Skate or Die". We weren't shown Connie's reaction after Mike tricked Jonah Applebaum into attacking him. I thought we should have, seeing as she's his partner and all. I also wondered what would've happened if they'd highlighted the sexual tension between them at some point, too. So that's where this came from. Just to be sure I wouldn't screw up any details, I re-watched the episode and wrote this. **

** This is for my sister, who helped me discover the "Law and Order" franchise in the first place. **

** For myriad reasons, you are the best sister in the world. I love you! **

**A Moment in the Psych Ward **

Connie, Dr. Olivet, and Mike stood and watched as the orderlies hauled an irate and out-of-control Jonah Applebaum out of the meeting cell and back to his room, most likely to be sedated.

When Jonah's yelling could no longer be heard, Dr. Olivet turned to Mike.

"Are you happy, Mr. Cutter?" she asked coldly.

With that, she turned and left briskly, not even giving him a chance to answer her.

Connie watched her leave and then turned to Mike. She kept her voice down so as not to draw any more attention to them.

"Have you lost your mind? What the _hell_ were you thinking?"

"Connie—"

"Don't interrupt me! What the hell were you thinking, Mike? You and I both know that this whole situation could've been much worse! He could've seriously hurt you! Damn it, Mike, you scared the hell out of me just then!"

"Connie, I'm sorry," Mike said sincerely, also keeping his voice down. "But how else were we supposed to prove how severely ill he is? We needed proof that he truly is a danger to himself and others, and now we've got it."

"I don't know whether to admire you for risking your safety in the pursuit of justice or be frustrated as hell with you for being impulsive and reckless and throwing yourself under the bus like that! You know what?"

"What?"

"Sometimes I could swear you're trying to kill me—or at least give me an ulcer! I'm not so sure it had to be this way. Surely someone could have convinced him to take anti-psychotic drugs of his own free will? Surely you didn't have to get him to attack you?"

"Connie, you know how severe his delusions are. I'm not so sure it _would've_ been possible to convince him. When they tried to get him to take the drugs, he probably thought it was the Russians trying to poison him or something," Mike said patiently.

Connie hesitated for a moment.

"Just…why you?" she then asked quietly.

Mike melted at her words.

They met each other's gaze.

"Who else?" Mike asked her softly. "I'd never do anything to put you in danger."

Connie softened at his words.

"I know that," she said gratefully. "Here," she added, nodding at the cut on his face. "Let me take a look at that."

Mike's heart began to race as soon as she stepped closer to him. He didn't know it, but the same thing happened to Connie the moment she stepped closer to _him_.

Connie hesitated but then gently rested her hand on his face as she examined his cut.

Mike's heart beat a little faster at her touch.

Connie tried to convince herself she was only touching his face because of his cut.

"Ouch…" she said, willing herself to look at his injury and not into his eyes. "He got you pretty good."

"Yeah," Mike said, relishing her touch. "It really stings, to be honest."

"I bet," Connie said.

Then, unable to help herself, she met Mike's gaze.

The two of them just stood there for a moment, making eye contact, Connie still resting her hand on Mike's face, below his cut.

A few seconds later—

"Yeah, it's—it's going to need some hydrogen peroxide so that it doesn't get infected…" Connie then said softly, snapping out of it and withdrawing her hand.

She stepped back.

"There's got to be an infirmary around here somewhere," she then said, looking away from him.

"Yeah, I…I would think so, too…" Mike said softly, looking down at the ground.

There came a pause.

Then—

"Well," Connie said, breaking the silence, "we'd better go and find it, then. We can't just leave you here bleeding. Let's go back to reception and ask where we can find the infirmary."

"Okay," Mike agreed softly.

As they walked down the hallway and back to the entrance, where reception was, neither one of them said a word about what had just passed between them.

They were both too afraid to.

###


End file.
